Starless Night
by StreamOfSilver
Summary: Weylin Rothgar finds himself compelled to help the mysterious young Breton, Adrianna Whitefeather. His fate becomes clear as he continues his trek across the harsh land of Skyrim as brothers spill each others blood and dragons return to the sky. Will contain sexual themes.
1. Chapter 1: Jerall Mountains

The Jerall View Inn was bustling with activity compared to the day before. There seemed to be triple the amount of people sitting around and drinking. It may have been for the fact of the twelve Imperial Soldiers drinking in the Inn last night. Tonight people cheered and cursed at each other in their drunken states over games of chest. Others spoke of the month's harvest and the coming of winter. Young couples danced in each other's embrace as the bard sang her songs and while playing the lute. In mumbles, others spoke of the war Ulfric caused and he should surrender himself over to the Imperials.

Young women went to and fro with delivering drinks to the customers of the Inn. Each wore a sleeveless dress that cut low to expose the curves of their breasts while the backs were bare of fabric. The skirt of each was cut to allow them to expose their smooth legs with certain postures. They all would sweet talk the men in the bar, constantly flirting with honeyed words in an attempted to earn a few more coins as a tip.

Weylin sat at a table to himself that overlooked the main sitting area. He surveyed the room looking for potential clients, but having no luck. No one was interested in hiring a swordsman simply because of the war. It wasn't ideal to get caught up in a random battle between the Stormcloaks and Imperials. Let alone any merchant that does need to send any of their merchandise by ship or in a convoy with Soldiers from one of the side guarding it. The most work he had been getting lately were simple things that the guards of towns should have taken care of. He didn't mind being hired and sent to kill a bear or find a lost child as long as he got paid. He worried that each time him moved on to the next town that there wouldn't be work. The war was clearly taking a toll on the mercenary business. He remembered before the war had even started all those adventurous individual's always seeking treasure and needing an extra hand. Now they were either called to war or feared that one of the two sides would take their cut from whatever fortune they found.

Sighing to himself he thought, '_Maybe I should join Imperial Legion. Be a soldier like Father_.' He dismissed the thought as he hardly knew where he stood on the war. Picking up his mug, he took a gulp of Black Briar Mead. Setting down the mug, the door to the Inn opened letting a cold draft spill in. Those closes yelled at the new comer to close the door quickly. The woman was wrapped in a brown fur cloak with the hood drawn back revealing smooth auburn hair held in a ponytail. She walked gracefully over to the Innkeeper. After exchanging a few words she dropped some coins into the man's hand and was pointed towards the hallway that Weylin sat by.

As she walked by he noticed her dark green eyes take notice of him for a second before vanishing down the hall. '_What was a Breton doing here?_' he thought. '_Figured it be the last place in Cyrodiil they'd go_.' Then again, he never would have guessed that he would be in Bruma looking for work. He found his mind drifting and only being able to concentrate on the music of the bard. The murmurs of many of the others had seemed to quiet down as well, more than likely returning to their homes for dinner. The bard continued her songs of times of peace.

He found himself watching a young Imperial couple dance. They moved from side to side slowly. The young woman was resting her head against the man's broad shoulders. Her eyes were closed as if trying to make herself believe that the moment would last forever. '_Saadia was doing fine at least. No need to worry about her husband going to war,_' he began thinking. He couldn't deny that she shone with happiness when he last saw her. She has a man who loves her and has two well behaved little girls. '_Mother would be proud Sis. Would father be proud of me?'_ he waited thinking his sister's voice would reassure him inside his own mind. His thoughts were broken as his mind returned to the present.

"Excuse me?" A silvery voice spoke to Weylin. It was a voice that was easy on the ears, almost like the source had sung the words.

Glancing to his right stood the woman from before only clad in a dress that clung to her form well. He couldn't help but notice the curves of her hips and her round breasts. Her auburn hair now hung down and was thrown over a shoulder. He wasn't the only one to have noticed this as some of the other male customers were taking glances. "Yes, what is it that you need?" Weylin responded pleasantly with a small smile.

A smile spread across her face, her voice still carrying like music to his ears, "I was wondering if I could join you if you don't mind."

"Of course you may, I'd be honored." He stood and gave a slight bow before gesturing to the chair across from him. "I'm Weylin Rothgar"

"Adrianna Whitefeather," she replied with a curtsey. Weylin only seated himself after she had herself. She had a shapely head that emanated beauty from her high cheekbones to her soft lips. Gazing into her eyes was like standing in a forest during the summer. Before either spoke again, a barmaid had made her way to their table.

"Good evening sir," she spoke with a bright smile and gentle words to Weylin, "is there anything that can get you tonight? Maybe refill your mug?" Batting her eyelashes, she casually leaned down a bit to draw his attention to her breasts. Fingers brushed against his hand in an alluring manner.

"A nice bowl of stew will do," Weylin responded with a friendly tone, eyes never leaving her face. "Would you like anything Adrianna?" The barmaid turned her gaze to the other women with a faded smile and eye like daggers.

"A glass of water please."

"I'll be back shortly." Before wandering off to retrieve what they had ordered, she gave Weylin an enticing wink.

"How are you this evening?" Weylin questioned her, leaning forward on to the table.

"I'm doing just fine thank you, and yourself?"

"Not bad."

"Are you from here?"

"No."

Shifting in her chair her eyes wandered around the Inn as if trying to think of what to say, "May I ask where you're from?"

"Chorrol," he responded, taking a glance at the individuals in view. Some of the younger men were grabbing attention of their friends as their eyes ogled at his companion.

"What brings you up here to Bruma then?"

Sitting back in his chair and ignoring her question, "Why is that asked to join me?"

The barmaid returned setting the glass of water in front of Adrianna and a steaming bowl in front of Weylin while placing a hand on his shoulder. "If you need anything else just let me know," she gave a warm smile and let her hand linger for a second longer before walking away.

They sat in silence as Weylin ate a few some of the stew. Every few bites he would look up at her. She was relaxed in her chair though scanning the room as if looking for someone.

Pushing the bowl aside, "So, why have you decided to join me this evening?"

"I'm sorry I should have just asked right away its just I wasn't sure if you were a mercenary." This caused him to look down at his rugged leather armor that was made to accommodate his body. "I would like to hire you and a few others."

"What is it that you are thinking of hiring me for?" He probed with curiosity.

"I'm looking to go to Skyrim."

"You do know there is a war going on up there, don't you?"

"I'm fully aware of that, I just want to explore the wilderness up there. I hear the land is quite beautiful."

"You're willing to deal with any possible searches by the Stormcloaks or Imperials?" The only real dangers that they would encounter would likely only be wild life and at most bandits. Just from her dress he could tell that she was from a wealthy family. She would be a large target if they were to encounter bandits. Those bandits could just as easily be slavers.

Looking over her shoulder he caught a glimpse of a man sitting at the far back corner. A man with a cloak as dark as night itself draped around his shoulders with the cowl thrown over his head. He was leaning forward onto his knees with his arms. Weylin could see that he was wearing black leather gloves and assumed it was part of matching armor. It was odd. He could swear that the man's head was turned slightly towards them. Not only that, but that he was somehow trying to listen. That would be impossible from this distance though one could never be too sure.

"This could be one of the few chances I get to see Skyrim." This snapped his attention back to her. "Won't you please take me?"

"I would gladly take you up on the offer," her expression brightened greatly as a smile began to spread across her face, "but this request will make my job harder. I don't know the Skyrim area to well since it has been a few years since I have done work there. Things change." He stopped for a moment, taking in her shifted fade to disappointment. "Not only that, but I will be risking your life as well as mine."

"Won't others make the job easier though?"

"What if I told you I'm the only mercenary here to hire?"

"What do you mean?" A confused look crossing her face, "Surely there are others around looking for work."

"There is a storm coming that could possibly block the roads. Since there is a war up north, most mercenaries don't come this far. Those that did come have already left when news of the storm was coming." He had overheard two local hunters talking of the snow storm blowing in from the east. It was surely going to hit in the next day or two.

"I'll pay you as though you were five men." That would be a thousand gold pieces. He could really use that much gold but is it worth the risk?

"A thousand gold pieces? You must truly want to get to Skyrim." There was something she wasn't telling him though it wasn't his business to force out of her.

"If you won't take the job, then let me offer another. Take me to Falkreath at the very least, and from there I'll find others to hire." She sounded as though she was pleading. Silence spread between the two. Her eyes probed his face as he stared off in thought. As a few minutes passed she spoke up again, "I'll double it, and all you have to do is take me to Falkerath."

"And if I decline, what will you do then?" He leaned forward, wanting to be sure he heard her answer.

"If you don't take me," she began confidence was clearly evident in her voice, "I will find my own way alone."

Sighing with a shake of his head, "I don't think I can."

"I'm sorry I wasted your time." She quickly got up from her seat and turned to go down the hall to her room. The beautiful features of her face looking sad struck him for an odd reason. She was just like any other person; if he didn't feel comfortable with taking the job then he would decline without issue. Why was she different though? He knew she wouldn't last long alone out there, especially when she would reach the point of crossing the Jerall Mountains to reach skyrim. By that time she would wandering aimlessly in the storm. Snow often drifted and covered the roads often and even those familiar with the area could lose their way. His heart seemed to ache at letting her go.

Before he knew it he was out of his seat and briskly walking down the hall for her. As he turned to go down the hall he brushed shoulders with someone.

"You should turn from this road." The man whispered. Glancing behind himself, Weylin saw that it was the man in black. He was walking towards the door.

Weylin blinked stunned, he glimpsed down the hall to see Adrianna entering her room near the end of the wall. When he looked for the man in black again, he was gone. He dismissed it from mind and walked to Adrianna's door and knocked. She opened the door quickly, suppressing a smile.

"I'll take your offer up on the job, and I'll do it for three hundred. I think that's fair enough for a simple trip from town to town."

"When are leaving then."

"We'll leave early in the morning, after I gather the supplies for the trip." He began to walk away before turning back, "No dresses like these either. Wear something simple, I don't want any extra attention."

"Alright boss," she spoke with a giggle. He took one last look at her before returning back to the table.

Settling back into his seat all he could think was '_why did I just agree to this_?' He couldn't lie to himself, she was an attractive women. Plenty of women have hired him for jobs around towns. She was like any of the other wasn't she? She was hiding something from him though.

He sat there contemplating about Adrianna and their trip for a long while when a nagging feeling crept up onto him, the man in black. He scanned the room for the man but he wasn't anywhere to be found. He waved down the barmaid from before.

"Yes sweetie, what is that you need?" She spoke warmly as she stopped beside him.

"The man that was sitting over there," Weylin pointed to the table, "did he leave?"

A confused look crossed her face, "There wasn't a man sitting at the table."

"I swore I saw a man there, in a black cloak over there."

"Sweetie, no one was over there."

Pinching the bridge of his nose with a sigh, "I must just be tired." He reached into his coin pouch and pulled out twelve coins. Placing the coins in her hand, "Here is everything for what I ordered tonight, the rest is yours."

Whispering into his ear seductively, "I have a few more services to offer if you're interested."

"I'm fine, thank you though. I need to get some rest, heading out early tomorrow." He rose from his seat and returning to his room with his mug in hand.

* * *

She couldn't believe her luck, the only one mercenary in the entire town and he almost denied her offer. A sense of glee and relief filled her as she spun around the room before falling back onto the soft bed. Then it hit her, her mood fading as quickly as it had come, '_What am I going to do once I get to Falkreath? There was a war being fought. The jobs in towns would surely need anyone that wasn't off at war. Weylin at least agreed to take me to Falkreath so that's a start. A start to nowhere…' _She wanted at least someone to be with her if she was to go out into the wilderness. It was nerve racking just to travel from Chorrol to Bruma alone. She wasn't incapable of protecting herself but the thought of another silent journey always checking over the shoulder was too much to endure alone.

'_Maybe he'll reconsider when we get there…_' she stopped herself, '_I was only lucky that he changed his mind_.' He appeared to know what he was doing and understand what he was getting himself into. He didn't even question her on the real reason she wished to make a journey to Skyrim, especially with the war. For all he knows she could really just want to go visit the north for scenery.

Getting up from the bed, she stepped silently to the door and opened it a crack. Maybe he's one of the men she was to be cautious about. She remembered being told not to reveal what she was to do for it might attract those seeking to stop her, possibly even kill her. Peering out, she could see Weylin walking down the hall with a mug in hand with a weary expression. He had seemed so full of energy a few seconds ago. He didn't take notice of the gap between the frame and door of her room as he stopped two doors down and entered his own room. He certainly looked like he could be one the men trying to stop her. He wasn't muscular in the sense of the old Nord barbarians, but his armor outlined his toned muscles. His short unkempt brown hair, and light beard fit his handsome face. She locked the door while kicking off her leather shoes before proceeding to undress. 'He

_can't be one_,' she thought, '_he was kind, unlike most of the others I approached about my travel. A gentlemen even. He did sit there and ogle at me a little…_' she chuckled to herself as she laid down in a corset and panties. '_I did it simply to get his attention, but apparently I didn't have too_.'

"His eyes tell me that I can trust him…" she began to mumble, "but can I can trust him?" She constantly thought of his gentle light brown eyes and tossing around ideas of why he looked so exhausted in the hall. She had lost track of time and was wrapped up in the fur blanket as she drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2: Pale Pass

Adrianna woke to the dull sun light filtering in through the window above the bed. She stretched her body out while yawning loudly. The walk to Bruma seemed to have taken more out her than she thought as she felt the soreness in her legs temporarily. The smell of breakfast cooking wafted from under the door. Wrapped in the fur blanket, she slid out of bed into the cold morning air. Crossing the room to the dresser, she rummaged in her pack for clothes. Pulling out what she wanted, she tossed the blanket back to the bed and quickly tugged leather pants on. The inside of the pants were lined with fur for the cold weather.

A knock at the door made her jump. "Who is it?" She called out while slipping on an undershirt.

"We'll be leaving soon so if you want breakfast hurry out," it was Weylins calm voice. A second or two passed before she heard his leather boots on the wood floorboards walk away. Throwing a tunic on over the shirt she slid on her own leather boots that were almost knee high. Studying herself in the mirror she concluded that she wasn't wearing anything that focused on any part of her body exclusively. She wrapped her hair into a loose ponytail, letting her bangs hang down. Grabbing her bag and cloak, she opened the door and walked down the hall and into the main area of the inn.

Weylin was chatting with two men clad in mismatching fur attire. Leaned against the wall were two bows and as well as quivers. Adrianna sat down where she and Weylin had previously been the night before. Her eyes were on him, the thoughts of last night returning to the center of her attention. With a sheathed sword and shield slung over his back, her feelings for possible mistrust were being reinforced. The innkeeper had taken notice of her and hurried over.

"Would you like breakfast madam?" the man inquired. For an Imperial, he was rather short and fat.

"Two eggs and an apple please," she responded with a smile.

"Right away madam," he spun around and waddled back towards the kitchen. Her gaze returned to Weylin who was now bent over with his palms on the other men's table. She was able to tell he was annoyed with something as he let a sigh out. He shook both men's hands before glancing to Adrianna. Up on seeing her he stepped over.

"Finally awake I see," A slim smile spread across his face, "much better clothing as well."

"When is that we are leaving?" she questioned. "You seem ready to go already."

"I am, and I would like to go as soon as possible. I gathered information from those two gentlemen over there that the storm may be picking up pace and hitting sooner."

"Well then we should leave before we're traveling in a blizzard." The innkeeper waddled back over with a plate of eggs and an apple for Adrianna. She thanked him as he quickly took his leave.

"Looks like someone wants breakfast first." Weylin joked. "When you're done, meet by the north gate, I'll have everything we need ready."

She couldn't get a word out before he was up and out of his chair and heading for the door. Her stomach fluttered at the thought of her journey beginning completely that she was losing her appetite. She picked up a fork and tried eat as much as she could, but was finding herself to anxious to get the journey going. She took a few more bits to leave half it eaten and shoved the apple into her pocket. She slid on her pack and threw on the cloak over herself. Walking up to the bar counter she started pulling out the coins for her meal.

"There's no need for that madam," the fat man behind the counter began, "your friend has already paid for it."

"He did? Well thank you, the beds were comfy and if I am passing through again I'll be sure to spend the night here." The innkeeper returned a smile and waved goodbye.

She headed through the cold air as she made her way for the north gate. The only people outside were mostly guards on patrol. She assumed everyone else was inside to wait out the storm. The sun was still low in sky, but she could hardly feel the warmth of its rays. Weylin was outside the gate wearing a fur cloak as well as holding the reins to a horse while petting its neck with the other. The horse had a few bags of the supplies necessary to make the trip to Falkerath.

"I'm ready to go!" She couldn't contain the excitement in her voice. She was constantly told that this day would come and couldn't wait to get started finally. He chuckled at her outburst.

"Then let's go. We head for the pale pass. Should be less than a day's walk to reach." He started down the path, the horse followed behind him. She sped to his side when she realized they were only taking one horse. He didn't glance at her, merely kept his eyes on the road ahead. They walked in silence at a brisk pace. The city walls were fading from view as the wind was picking up speed and blowing in from the east. With it came the cold draft of the storm causing her to pull her cloak closer.

The day wore on as they traversed north through a pine forest. It was roughly noon when dark clouds blocked the small amount of warmth from the sun. It was completely silent besides the occasional howl of wind and the heavy breathing of the horse. Small flakes of snow drifted down from the gloomy sky. Weylin had been quiet from the moment they left Bruma, never even taking his eyes off the path ahead of them. The initial excitement of beginning the journey had faded and now she only wished that he would say something or find something to ask. Every time something came to mind, she would dismiss it as possibly to personal or a pointless question. She had even began to drag behind as her legs became increasing tired from not making trips like this before. The landscape around her was boring, nothing but pine trees and large mounds of snow here and there with the occasional rock jutting out. She had taken to staring at his footprints and having a gloved hand on the horse to help keep speed and on course with them. She took note that he didn't forget about her at least as he had slowed his pace from the rather brisk one earlier.

"You can ride the horse if you are tired." He spoke up as he turned his gaze over his shoulder to her. Adrianna just stared a little shocked that he spoke. His brow furrowed in confusion. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yes I'm fine." She blurted out a little louder than she intended.

Stopping the horse, he bent down a little put his put his hands together, "Here, I'll help you up." She didn't want to admit it, but she had wanted to sit down and rest an hour ago. She stepped onto his hand. Placing a hand on his shoulder and the back of the horse, she hopped up slightly while he lifted her enough to swing her other leg around the horse. "There you go," he said, picking the reins of the horse back up again.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," he turned and began to lead the horse again up the path. The silence began again as she figured it would. Minutes passed and it was the same thing only she didn't have to walk anymore. "You're very quiet Adrianna." Moments passed and she wasn't sure what he wanted her to say. That she didn't want to distract him as it seemed he was focused on something. "All right then, I'll start. Why didn't you just ask me to take you to Skyrim right away?"

"I had tried to hire some before you back in Chorrol but none of them wanted to make the trip to Bruma as there was no work up there. Then with you I didn't want to be turned down right away since you were the only man I saw for hire."

"Not many want to sit down and talk to a mercenary unless they wanted to hear an interesting story from one."

"Why were you in Bruma?"

"Looking for work."

"And you said you were from Chorrol right?"

"Born and raised just south from there. Parents owned a rather large house about an hour away. My sister and her husband own it now; they spend time during the summer months there."

"What's her name?" Adrianna found that she was rather intrigued to figure out more of this man's life. She justified the interest as gaining his trust.

"Saadia," he said in a low voice, enough for her to hear. "My other brothers and sister always claimed that our parents liked her best, though it may have been because she was the most behaved of all us."

"How many siblings did you have?" she asked.

"Four. Two brothers and two sisters. I was the eldest with Harkon the second oldest, then Saadia, Garrick and Muiri." He sounded almost nostalgic.

"It must be some family gathering." Amusement filled her voice with a small giggle. He didn't say anything, but his shoulders sagged in the tiniest way. '_Great_,' she thought, '_I just want to talk a bit and I go get things to personal._' A few minutes passed by in silence.

He spoke up, his voice almost a mumble, "Where are you from?"

"Anvil," she replied quickly to help keep his mind off whatever it was that it drifted to. "I was born in the town Wayrest over in High Rock. My parents moved to Anvil as they told me they wanted to live somewhere nicer."

"And you walked from there to Bruma." His voice had returned back to normal.

"No, I was able to get passage by a cart to Chorrol, but from there I walked after two days of looking for someone to take me. I was lucky and didn't have any trouble on the way."

He nodded, "Any siblings yourself?"

"No I'm an only child." The wind was picking up and carrying fatter flakes of snow with. Weylin let his pace slow enough to come even with a pack on the horse. He pulled out an apple and offered it to her. Showing him the one she had saved, he took a bite though kept walking by the horse. She hid a smile to herself. He was friendly after all, just shy.

"How long until we reach the pass?"

"An hour or so till we get the fork in the road and after that maybe another four or five hours." He scanned behind them, "We should make sure we pass the sign before that storm catches us." Adrianna looked behind to gaze at the clouds becoming increasingly dark the further away they were. "Scoot forward."

She glanced down at him and he motioned with his hand she did as she was told. Handing her the reins, he put his foot into the stirrup and swung himself onto the horse with ease. He reached around her for the reins causing her stomach flutter and heart to begin racing. He took the reins and motioned for the horse to pick up the pace to soft canter. She hardly took notice as she felt the heat from his body emanate onto her. She no longer found herself the slightest bit cold as she was nestled comfortably between his arms. She could feel her cheeks burning and was glad he couldn't see. Her mind raced with thoughts about the two of them. The same one's a young girl might have about finding prince charming. She was quick to dismiss them as her father told her it would likely be nothing more than an infatuation.

"Do you have any interesting stories from your travels?" she questioned to keep herself distracted.

"Nothing too interesting, but there was this one woman, I swore she crazy, but she had kept rats in her basement as pets. When she hired me, she was screaming about something killing her precious babies in her cellar. I helped her because I thought some sadistic person was on the loose. Turns out that a mountain lion had managed to dig its way into the city as well as her cellar. Thing caught me off guard and nearly got my arm."

"She kept rats in her basement?" Adrianna spoke with disgust.

"You better believe it, there about seven of them. Then there was the time I helped, along with a few others mercs, rid a farm of their goblin problem. Savage creatures goblins are, but easy to lure out into exposing their weak spots."

The time rolled by as she listened to his stories intently, asking questions when she was curious or confused on a part. Most were generally the same but she felt that that was what it was to be a mercenary. They had passed the fork in the road and turned left towards the pale pass a half hour ago. Adrianna was thankful that Weylins stories were able to keep her from noticing the time go by. The horse had slowed back to the same pace it was traveling earlier since the snow had lightened up greatly. They were managing to stay ahead of the storm. They sat together on the horse, her stomach still felt anxious though her mind remained off the thoughts from before.

The mountains were a sight to see covered in snow. They loomed high into the sky, threatening to cut into the clouds. Adrianna starred in awe at the jagged teeth of the world since she had never seen them before. She admitted to Weylin that there was a beauty to landscape of the world that should be cherished.

* * *

Swinging down from the horse Weylin excused himself, "I'm sure the horse has had enough of my weight for one day." The truth was that he was finding it harder sit on the horse with her practically in his arms. Her soft skin brushed up against his every now and then… '_No, I'm just guiding her to Falkerath and that's it. I don't have time for that…_' he thought, '_I'll make sure she gets there. And then what?_'

She slid off the horse as well, "I shouldn't have been on the poor thing as long either, let alone I should of been toughing it if I'm going to be wandering the wilderness of Skyrim."

"Everyone starts off like this," he assured her. "I was like that too once." She had moved to walk beside him as silence filled between them for the first time in hours.

The sky was darkening when they had finally reached the pass. It was just wide enough for two carts to fit through. Weylin lead them to a small cove not far into the pass. It would protect them and the horse from the storm when it passes through during the night. He gathered some of the logs that he had loaded the horse up with and began building a fire in the middle. As he set it up, he couldn't help but glance over his shoulder to see what Adrianna was doing. She was saving him time by feeding the horse a few apples and carrots. There was a small glow for a few seconds before the fire spread. He unpacked the horse as well as took off the saddle and placed the items in the back of the cove. The light was fading quickly outside as the storm was catching back up to them.

Adrianna was already cooking some of the salted meat on a small skillet from one of the packs. Before taking a seat across the fire from her, he scanned the road both ways. There had amazingly been no Imperial patrols along the road or waiting at the pass. Weylin passed it off as luck. The horse had found a spot in the back of the stove to stand, but still close enough to feel the warmth of the fire.

His mind wandered to staying with her after reaching Falkerath. She was a kind young woman, though quiet about why she was really going to Skyrim. There was a shine to her he couldn't explain, something about her just made him want to be near her. Maybe all he has been looking for was someone adventurous to be around, someone to help him figure out what he was supposed to do.

They ate in silence except for the wind howling outside. Each took an occasional glance at each other when one was looking into the fire or down at their plate. The fires light made her skin looked tanned. '_Even in the dim fire light she was beautiful_.' The thought crossed his mind and passed as fast as it had come. She was clearly deep in thought as her gaze hadn't left the fire for some time. Weylin assumed it was going to be about what she was going to do when this short journey ends. She was yawning, clearly worn from her past few days. He was too, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"If we get up roughly the same time tomorrow, we can make it to Falkerath before the sun begins to set."

She cracked a smile, "Sounds good, I think I'm going to go to sleep." She got up with her plate.

"I'll take care of that," he stood up taking the plate gently away from her. "There is a blanket and bed roll with the packs. He retrieved the other dishes and proceeded to fill them with snow from outside. Returning, he found that she had made herself comfortable next to the fire. Her back was to him, but he sensed she wasn't trying to fall asleep just yet. He couldn't blame her for not trusting him. He cleaned out the dishes with a rag before sitting against an outcrop near the entrance to the cove. He wasn't going to make her stay up for watch. The time had passed fast. The weariness from days before had caught up to him though, and he too fall asleep as well.

Weylin was awoken to the sound of swords being unsheathed. His sword was in his hand as he sprung to his feet. The light from the entrance blinded him, but he could tell there were more than ten men at the entrance. He heard Adrianna gasp as her mind was pulled from her dreams.

"Lay down your sword and show us your hands," a voice demanded. Weylins eyes finally adjusted after a few seconds. It was the Imperial Legion. He counted twenty, each with a sword drawn or a bow nocked with an arrow. Slowly, he squatted down and put his sword on the ground and rose with both hands in the air. Something didn't feel right. These soldiers seemed far to alert for them to be stumbling across some travelers. Were they mistaking them for spies?

"And the girl!" one screamed. Moving his gaze to Adrianna, she stood with fire licking at her finger tips, fear in her eyes. With a motion of his hand, she let the spell disperse as she raised her hands as well. Her eyes were searching his for what he thought was comfort. Cold metal slammed into the side of his head. He fell to his hands and knees, another blow to the back of his head made his vision fade to black. The last thing he saw was soldiers rushing to her and restraining her hands.


	3. Chapter 3: From Legends

Weylin reeled back into consciousness from the jolting of the carriage. He groaned as the back of his head pulsed with a dull pain. Reaching to feel it, he found that his hands were bound. Blinking his eyes clear, he looked around taking in everything.

A Nord to his right spoke up, "Finally, you're awake." He was amused.

"Where am I?" Weylin muttered out loud enough for the man to hear him. He was finding it difficult to think straight.

"Well, you're a prisoner of the Empire, heading for Helgen," a grin began to play across his lips.

Prisoner? Did they really knock him out and take him prisoner? Gazing around confirmed his suspicions. Eight soldiers walked behind the carriage as well as fifteen on each side of the carriages. There were three carriages in total. A sudden realization brought him cursing to himself under his breath. Adrianna.

He scanned the other carriages trying to find her. He couldn't fail her, not on a simple task as he was given. The other carts were filled with Stormcloaks, easily identified by the blue sash of their armor. Adrianna was nowhere to be seen. Maybe they let her go or had she been taken just like him? If she wasn't here, then she had to have been taken towards Helgen before him.

"You look a little worried boy," the Nord nudge Weylin gaining his attention. The smile still spread across his face. When he didn't say anything, the Nord continued, "The names Gavril Stonefield." Gesturing to the man directly across from him, "Adalric Sedgwick, all I got out of him. Quiet one." The man Gavril had pointed towards seemed worried himself, eyes flickering all over the place, most of the time landing on the Soldiers. He couldn't blame him, Weylin had no idea what would happen when they reached their destination himself.

'_What would father think?_' He scoffed at the idea. Father would have pointed out that he had been hired by someone running from the law. It would explain the money, and the reason why she wanted to reach Skyrim badly. Though she was nice, how could she have been a criminal? If she was, he was paying for it now.

"What's your name boy?" Gavril nudged him again, clearly not wanting his new talking buddy to ignore him.

"Weylin Rothgar," he replied more than a little irritated.

"What brought your skinny ass here?"

"I was knocked unconscious complying with them, it was misunderstanding. Once we get to Helgen I will explain…" Gavril busted out laughing at the top of his lungs. Someone could enjoy bad situations a little too much.

"You think you're going to explain the situation to them?" He spoke quickly not letting him answer, "Buddy, look over there at the second carriage." Weylin did what the Nord said and saw another, clad in a fur coat. "That's Ulfric Stormcloak, the Jarl of Windhelm."

"The rightful High King of Skyrim," growled the last member of their carriage, a Stormcloak rebel.

Ignoring the man, Gavril continued, "You think we're going to get to explain our situations? Where he goes, we go." The smile had faded from his face. He was right; they had the man who started this war. Ulfric wasn't going to get a fair trial, he was going to be put down before he could do any more damage, even take anyone they came across with him.

Taking another look at the Jarl, Weylin saw her. Adrianna was sitting next to Ulfric, hidden behind the man. She caught his gaze and let a small smile crack on her lips. From what he could see, she was unharmed but the fact remained that he failed. They were heading towards their deaths.

"She's a pretty one there," Gavril spoke up, a smile spreading across his face again. "If we weren't prisoners, I'd show her the time of her life." Weylin began glaring at him, a protective feeling welling inside him. "Easy, just entertaining some thoughts before death. Best go happy than regretting."

Regret? How could he not? He failed to do a simple job and was not only heading towards death but taking a young woman with him. He wished he could have done more for her; maybe he could have made his father proud in the slightest bit before meeting him again.

They sat silently, each to their own thoughts; the creaking of the wagon was the only sound. Helgen could be seen in the near distance. The each passing second brought them closer to their impending doom. Weylin sat entertaining the thoughts of somehow breaking free and getting Adrianna to safety. It always ended in the two of them dying before they got far. Even if they did escape, where would they go? The Imperial Legion would be searching for them. He took little notice as the caravan entered the settlement.

Townsfolk screamed out their hatred towards the Jarl of Windhelm, some even throwing rocks. The wagons pulled to the side as they reached the center of the town. A priest of Arkay was standing by, praying for the souls of the soon to be departed. The executioner glared with hatred at the prisoners. Commands were given out for the prisoners to disembark. Names were called out by an Imperial holding a sheet. He glanced around to see where Adrianna was, but something else caught his eye. The man stood out from the rest, yet no one seemed to notice. How could no one notice? Or was he working for the Imperial Legion? Regardless, what was he doing here, the man from the Jerall View Inn. He stood there, back by a watch tower, with his black cloak being lifted by the slight breeze in the air. His arms were crossed and his hood shadowed most of his face, but Weylin knew he was staring at him.

'_You should turn from this road,_' the words echoed in his mind. Was this what he meant?

* * *

Adrianna stood by the Jarl, her heart racing. She couldn't fathom how she was being sentenced to death. She wasn't even in Skyrim when they took her prisoner. She wanted to trust Weylin's decision to do as the Imperials command and so she did, but it wasn't his fault. It couldn't have been his fault. They had done nothing wrong except be in the wrong place.

"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm," called the Imperial standing before them. Soldiers came and took Ulfric by the arms and guided him over to the where the executioner stood. He walked with his head held high, as though he was being escorted to the throne of the High King. He was brave, and she was not. Her legs were wobbling trying to keep herself standing.

"If has been honor, Jarl Ulfric," a blonde Nord spoke as the Jarl went by.

Lokir of Rorikstead," the man named another.

"No, I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!" A man screamed as he ran down the street. "You'll never take me!"

"Archers!" commanded a woman. A second later, Lokir was lying face down on the street with two arrows protruding from his back.

"Ralof of Riverwood." The Nord thanking the Jarl for the honor of service stepped off to the side. She watched him walk away and caught sight of Weylin. Her heart filled with hope for a slight second. He was gazing at something, but she couldn't follow it as he was shoved over to the block. A look of what she thought was disdain masked his face.

"You there, step forward." Adrianna realized he was talking to her and cautiously stepped forward. "Your name doesn't appear to be on the list."

"I don't even know why I am here," she found herself pleading. "I was just coming to Skyrim with my escort to explore the wilds."

The man didn't even look up from his list, though his voice was apologetic, "I'm sorry, there is nothing I can do for you. I have my orders."

How could the Imperial Legion just do this? She was furious, but couldn't express it over the distress of her fate. It couldn't end here. She hadn't done what she was supposed to do yet. What will Master Ingvar do when news reaches him about her fate? By then it would be to late…

"Captain, she doesn't seem to be on the list"

"She goes to the block, like all the others Hadvar." The Captain's tone was harsh, filled with resentment.

Hadvar motioned for her to walk over. She did so with shoulders slump and head hanging down. A loud noise echoed against the mountains causing her to forget her current predicament. What was that? It sounded like nothing she had heard before, and by the looks of it, none of the others could identify it either. She was shoved forward into the small crowd of prisoners by the Captain. They stood by listening to a prayer from the priest of Arkay. Everyone was silent, most had their eyes on the executioner.

"Forget this and let's get this over with," a man shouted, "Sovngarde waits." He strode up to the block and dropped to his knees and rested his head against the stone. A second later his head was off and shouts of protest and insults to the Legion flooded the air. The Legion soldiers shouted back and punched some in the stomach to quiet them. It wasn't needed though, the same sound echoed out again. This time it sounded closer.

"Next prisoner!" the captained yelled, clearly wanting to end every last life. She heard Hadvar speak the name Gavril Stonefield. A muscular Nord stepped forward, a smile crossing his face. His dirty blonde hair hung to his shoulders. If she was in a different setting, Adrianna would say that the man was handsome.

"This is what you get Ulfric," someone spoke, she couldn't see who it was, "the weight of the innocent lives lost because of your greed and lust for power!" She heard muffled talk, but her eyes went to the executioner as his axe began to rise. She swallowed thinking of herself there. She didn't want it to end this way. The roar blasted over the settlement as a winged black monstrosity swooped down from the mountains. Screams filled the air as others took notice. "What in oblivion is that?"

"Dragon!" she heard others scream as it perched itself on top of the guard tower before them. Fire erupted from it maw and bathed the area behind them, the pained cries of the horses were silenced quickly as they perished in flames. A ball of fire went sailing to the left at the walled gate. Before it hit, someone took her to the ground. The wall exploded, sending chunks of it everywhere. She could feel the sting of small pieces of debris hitting her, but mattered nothing when Weylin was pulling her back to her feet. His face was set in a hard determination.

Soldiers and prisoners a like scrambled in frenzy as the dragon took flight again, fire raging out of its maw. Smoke filled the air as the town went up in flames quickly. Weylin had rushed them to a guard tower on the opposite side of the street, along the way he took hold of a fallen soldier's sword.

"Take the sword," he ordered in a calm voice. She did as he said and watched him cut his bonds on it. He proceeded to do the same for her. Once free, he put a hand against her neck, "Are you okay, you're not hurt are you?" He gently used his thumb to turn her head this way and that looking for damage.

The fear from dragon subsided as she gazed into his eyes, a smile creeping onto her face, "I'm fine, thank you."

"Weylin! Cut my bonds loose and we'll find a way out of here. Adalric seemed to have tagged along as well," Gavril approached, eyes looking up and down at Adrianna. A man followed behind him who appeared scared out of his mind. Her heart was probably beating as fast as the man's.

"We can't go back out the entrance," Weylin began, cutting the two men's bonds. "We would be walking in a fire if we did." The tower shook and pieces of the tower tumbled down the stairs, some hitting a few people, but most ending up out the door or into a corner.

"Then we'll go up," Gavril suggested, "we can jump to the building."

Weylin hesitated a second, "Alright, that's our best option let's go!" He took hold of one of Adrianna's hands and led her up the stairs. He was still doing his job at a time like this. Even when he should have given up and saved himself, he came back for her. At the top of the first flight of stairs, there was a hole in the wall and a burnt corpse crumpled up a few feet away. They could see the house hadn't started fire yet.

"Come on let's go!" Gavril shouted as he ran past them and jumped out the hole in the wall. He landed on the roof and began tearing into it to create a hole to drop in. Adrianna felt as though her feet were a part of the building, refusing to move any closer to hole. Adalric had followed Gavril out after a few seconds. She wasn't prepared for this. Nothing could have. Even Weylin's calm demeanor wasn't enough to give her courage instead of feeling fear. Before she knew it, he pulled her into his arms and lunged out the hole with the sound of furious fire roaring out of the hole in the wall.

* * *

Weylin cursed as they landed against the roof. He had turned in the air so she would land on him. She was shaking with fear. She couldn't handle this and neither could he, but protecting her is what kept him going. His father would be able to do it, so why couldn't he?

"Gavril take the sword." Gavril took it and slide into the hole he had made, Adalric followed, shaking just as much as Adrianna was. Weylin eased her down through it before dropping down himself. They went to run down the stairs, but she hadn't moved. He had no time for this, none of them did. He rushed over to her and swept her up into his arms again and hurried after the other two.

They rushed through town as fast as they could, avoiding the fiery breath of the dragon as it swoop down. Helgen was in flames and there was no escape. Every exit was blocked by either flames or the tumbled walls themselves. Soldiers attempted to fight against the flying beast, but were quickly bathed in flames. They wouldn't have made it to the barracks without Hadvar's help. The stone building was hardly damaged and thankfully made of stone so it couldn't catch fire.

"We're trapped like rats in a forest fire!" Adalric spoke with a tone of dread.

"No, there is a way out if we follow the hall over there," Hadvar responded. "Not sure where it leads, but it is nowhere close to here."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Gavril exclaimed, pulling a sword from a weapon rack. Weylin set Adrianna on her feet; she gave a quick thank you. There was gratefulness to her voice; she knew she wouldn't have gotten anywhere if he didn't carry her. He just nodded and smiled and went to get a sword as well. He handed one to Adalric who took it and held it awkwardly.

They moved down the hall, every few minutes the building would shake as the wrath of the dragon attacked it. It did little but caused dust to filter down from the ceiling. They descended down stairs to another hallway; halfway down the ceiling had collapsed. Thankfully there was a side passage around it, though many of the remaining Stormcloaks had taken up arms and were using this place as a defensive position. They were easily taken out since there wasn't much room to swing the axes they armed themselves with. Gavril attacked like it was a dance, both blades finding their mark with ease. Adalric and Adrianna stood back and out of the fight.

They continued on once the last Stormcloak was dead. There wasn't much resistance, a single rebel here or there down the hall. They remained as silent as they could to keep the upper hand if any threats lay ahead of them. They came across the torturers chambers, but it seemed that those who occupied it had left already. The further they moved, the closer Adrianna got to Weylin until she was holding his free hand. He played it off that she was still shaken from the dragon, and he was the only one she knew somewhat. Every few minutes he would give a reassuring smile that would bring a small one to her face. The way they followed was blocked, but the wrath of dragon from the dragon above had knocked down a wall revealing an old cave. As they went through, they found dead frostbite spiders littering one of the more open areas, Hadvar had suggested that General Tulius had made his way through here. It wasn't long until they found the exit to the cave.

"Finally," Gavril spoke enthusiastically. A roar from outside echoed into the cavern and in the distance, they could see the dragon soaring away.

"Looks like we made it," Hadvar spoke out. "And if I am correct, that is the path heading south out of Helgen there. It should lead us to Riverwood."

Weylin pulled Adrianna off to the side, and in a hushed voice, "How are doing, you look shaken up."

"I am fine now," she responded with the same low voice. "I just wasn't ready for something out of legends."

"Neither was I," a smile cracked his, but he couldn't help worry that it was too much for her. Possibly to much for himself as well.

"Weylin!" Gavril shouted at him, "The three of us are going to Riverwood. You and your pretty friend are welcome to join."

He ignored them, he needed to know something so he could decide himself, "I'll still take you to Falkerath if that is what you want."

Disbelief flooded her face. "You are still willing to take me?" she barely managed the words out, but the next came easily, "Even after being taken prisoner and only escaping because a legend came to life?"

He nodded, "I will see that my job is finished if that is your wish, though we have no gold, damn Imperials took it all."

Gavril walked over slinging an arm around Weylin, "Are you coming or not? And you miss?"

"Yes I'll go with for now, since I am unsure of what I am going to do." Adrianna responded.

"Then I am going as well." Weylin replied.

"Great, better start now for it will be dark by the time we get here."


	4. Chapter 4: A Night in Riverwood

Hadvar led the way as they made their way for the path to Riverwood. Everyone was silent at first as each was glancing skyward for the dragon which seemed to be gone now. As time passed, the tenseness in everyone's shoulders disappeared quickly. Weylin on the other hand didn't expect their luck to last long and that the dragon might come back around at any second. Of course he had no way of justifying the thought though it remained constantly in his mind. Even with that thought he was able to stay calm unlike Adalric who seemed to be afraid of his own shadow.

Weylin was glad that Adrianna was past the whole ordeal as she seemed to have a bounce to her step and a smile on her face. He followed her green eyes which were constantly darting from one side of the trail to the other. There was almost no doubt in his mind that she had actually come here in order to view the vast wilderness of Skyrim. The part that didn't believe it reminded him of the amount of money she had offered to get her here. Before it didn't matter to him but now he had riskily agreed to help her. What could he possibly be getting himself involved in?

The only reason that he could think of as to why he offered his help, even after what had happened in Helgen, was that he couldn't send someone away like that. The little he had come to know about her made him more than certain that she wouldn't be willing to leave him behind if she could do something about it. How many times had he been wrong about that though? Putting those thoughts aside, he focused on how they we're going to feed themselves.

Riverwood was in sight as the sun dragged lower to the horizon in the west while giving off a golden orange glow to the landscape. There was a beauty to it that left Adrianna looking all around in awe at the sight. The guards at the gates simply nodded as the four of them walked on by. Weylin held back a chuckle wondering what the men were thinking as four people walked into town with singed clothing and ash smeared across their skin.

"I hope you have enough money to get us rooms at the Inn Imperial," Gavril spoke up shortly after entering the town.

"My uncle should be able to help," Hadvar spoke over his shoulder. "I hardly have enough to keep you guys up at the Inn."

"Then I'll meet you there," the Nord man replied while veering off towards what could only be the Inn.

"No, I want you to be there when I talk with my Uncle. It will be more believable as to what happened if we're all there."

Gavril stopped in his tracks at the statement and looked at everyone. His eyes lingering on Adrianna before he spoke, "I'm pretty sure just two of you would do well enough. Unless your Uncle be thinking that we were playing in fire or something." The man let a chuckle out at his last comment.

"Shouldn't we be telling someone else other than your Uncle about the dragons first?" Weylin questioned.

"I don't want to start a panic in the town," Hadvar answered. Weylin was content with the answer though found himself sighing with agitation as the Blonde headed Nord spoke up again.

"Not like anyone would believe us if we said dragons roamed the sky again," the man spoke loud enough to draw a few curious stares. "Like I said, I'll be at the Inn should want to join me." Offering a hand to Adrianna with a keen smile, he added, "Little Lady, care to join?"

Whether the Nord man was attempting to flirt with, or be polite to, the young woman, Weylin could not say. If it was the latter, it seemed to be working as he could see her shyly looking away and a possible blush to her cheeks. With a slight shake of his head, he cleared the notion from his mind. What business was it of his if this Nord attempted to woo her? Weylin was merely her hired sword and that was it.

"Thank you," Adrianna began, "but I think I'd rather stay with Hadvar and possibly get myself cleaned up while he speaks with his Uncle."

With a quick spin on his heel was walking towards the Inn again while speaking over his shoulder, "Well if you change your mind, you'll know where to find me." The silent Imperial, Adalric, quickly made his way after the blonde haired man.

"Hadvar?" came a call not far down the road. "Is that you Hadvar." The Imperial soldier jogged down the road until he stood in front of the house of a blacksmith. "By the Nine, it is you boy!"

"Uncle Alvor, so nice to see you again," Hadvar replied.

"What have you gotten yourself into boy," Alvor questioned, clearly confused by the roughed up appearance of the Nord. "It looks like you bathed in a fire pit."

"I need to have a word with you Uncle," Hadvar's stern voice remained low. With a nod over his shoulder, "And I got some friends with me too."

"Please, please come in all of you," the older Nord motioned for them to follow him into the house. As the last person entered the small building, he followed in behind. "Sigrid, we have company!"

"Who is it dear?" came a call from below. A second later a Nord woman walked up the stairs. Weylin couldn't help but notice the beauty of the woman but he reminded himself that she was likely Alvor's wife. "Hadvar it's so good to see you again!" Sigrid cried with glee though her expression quickly turned to concern. "Oh but you look terrible hun, what happened to you?"

Alvor had taken a seat the small dining table, "Please my boy tell us what happened."

"Hadvar!" came a shrill voice followed by the thudding footsteps. From around Sigrid came a small child who nearly jumped at Hadvar as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Hey there little Dorthe," the Nord soldier spoke while picking the girl up into a bear hug.

"Dorthe why don't you our guests somewhere to clean up," Sigrid suggested to her child.

"But mother, Hadvar just got here!" the little girl protested.

"Me and your father need to talk with him first," responded firm with a stern tone and gaze.

"Yes mother," Dorthe spoke slightly dejected.

"I should probably introduce you to them first," Hadvar offered. "This is Adrianna Whitefeather," he motioned to the small Breton.

Adrianna stepped forward and gave a slight curtsy, "It's a pleasure to meet both of you."

"And this is…" Hadvars voice drifted off as he realized he never came to know the man's name.

Giving a quick bow, Weylin stepped forward and extended a hand towards Alvor, "Weylin Rothgar. I am Lady Whitefeather's hired sword."

Alvor took Weylin's hand and gave a shake though questioned, "Are you son to Mathis Rothgar? The hero of Fort Alessia?"

"Yes he is my Father," Weylin spoke slightly disheartened. His father was a great warrior on the battlefield and a shadow that his sons would likely never crawl out from under.

"If we have the time, I'd like to hear about him," Alvor suggested.

"Yeah, I'd be honored to speak with you over such a great man," he spoke as he and Adrianna followed Dorthe down the stairs.

The little girl quickly moved to the counter in the back of the room. Dorthe was quick to pour two bowls of water and place them on the counter as well as fetch some towels. Weylin assumed the rush the girl was in was because she wanted to listen in on the conversation Hadvar was having with her parents. From what he could hear, the Nord soldier was explaining where he was stationed and his duty and was leading up to the attack. Before the girl crept silently up the stairs she turned to regard Adrianna.

"My mother will likely have some spare clothing for you to wear," then the girl added with a smile, "That's if it won't fall off and leave you bare to the cold."

Weylin glanced to the Breton to see her examining her clothing as well. Her tunic was mostly singed at the bottom though a large portion of her left sleeve was missing. Her auburn hair fell about her shoulders as the band holding her hair in a ponytail snapped at that moment. This brought a laugh from her as she brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Well I guess I didn't really notice how much the fires had nipped at my clothes!"

"We'll find you something," Weylin promised. "No sense in letting run around in rags."

"It might draw unwanted attention," she teased. Weylin couldn't help but smile. They were quiet for a moment as they washed their faces. "Don't feel like you have to call me Lady Whitefeather," she spoke up. "I'm always being called that back in Anvil. By the townsfolk, my tutor, and even my parents sometimes."

"Alright then," he responded while wiping his hands off, "Adrianna it is, but I think we should look for more help if we are to be roaming the wilderness. We have no money so were going to have to find some small jobs to do before we can even think of going out into the wild."

"What about Gavril?" she questioned. "He seems nice enough. Maybe he'll help out."

Weylin let out a sigh at the mention of the man's name. "_He did help us get out of Helgen,_" he thought to himself and found himself grateful for the help. "_It doesn't change the fact that he had been ogling Adrianna from the moment that he laid his eyes up on her._" An over protective feeling washed over him, or perhaps it was because he felt threatened. He spent a few moments fighting himself and came to the conclusion that he was merely looking out for her safety. He felt certain that if the man tried to harm Adrianna, that he would be ready to protect her.

"Well if he wants to come, I won't say no," he finally replied after a few moments.

"I can understand if you don't trust him, I'm not sure if I fully do," the Breton stated. "But like you said, we need the help."

"Then we'll keep an eye on him," he replied, glad that the woman didn't just throw all of her trust into a man simply because the person seemed nice. "I'll meet you upstairs when you're done cleaning up."

"What about you?" When he didn't respond, she continued to say, "You've hardly cleaned yourself up either."

Weylin looked down to his ash smeared leather armor and gave a shrug to the woman, "I'm used to walking around like this." Before he realized what he was saying, he spoke, "Unless you are expecting me to try and impress you?" He was put at ease as a smile quickly found its way onto her face. She might have even been blushing though he couldn't be certain.

"I guess I can't make you can I?" she responded.

* * *

Adrianna passed his remark off as though it was simply a joke. She was stilled overly joyed with the man since he hadn't abandoned her after escaping Helgen. She could hardly think of what she would have done. Weylin had proven to her almost completely now by his actions that he wasn't going to harm her. Still, the words of her tutor Ingvar echoed through her head. She was to never truly trust anyone, even she found herself infatuated with anyone.

"I'll see you upstairs then," the Imperial said again.

As soon as he left, Adrianna took her tunic off and examined her shoulder. She was grateful that whenever her sleeve caught fire that it didn't burn her. To be sure she hadn't missed any injuries, she quickly looked over herself. She was so caught up with checking herself that she didn't hear the footsteps on the stairs.

"Well well," came a voice. Adrianna almost hit her head on the counter. She was relieved to see that it was Sigrid who had come down the stairs though she could only imagine what the Nord woman was thinking. She was standing there in her white corset and pants around half pulled down.

Adrianna could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment. The only thing she could utter out was, "I was just checking myself out."

The Nord woman laughed heartily, "Clearly you are. Do you do that often?" She crossed the room and pushed the Breton into a nearby chair and proceeded to pull the pants off the rest of the way. "You won't be needing these raggedy pants anymore," the woman explained. "Sit still and I'll go see if I can't find you something to wear."

Adrianna sat there uncomfortably as she waited. The room seemed suddenly quieter and that she could hear everyone upstairs better. She clearly heard Alvor ask his wife what she was up to. Sigrid replied with something along the lines of a half-naked Breton downstairs which caused her to feel her entire body burn with embarrassment.

"_How could I be so stupid to just strip down like!_" she berated herself. "_Oh by the gods!_" she lamented, "_What if they come down to check? I'll look like some harlot!_"

"That seems a little mean," Weylin spoke from the top of the stairs. She was comforted by the Imperials disapproving tone.

"I was only having a little fun," Sigrids voice echoed down again. "And any of you dear peek at the girl, I'll tear one of your arms off." Adrianna had pulled her legs to her chest with her arms wrapped around by the time the Nord woman returned. She was carrying a few different garments with her. "Well I didn't find much but here you are," Sigrid handed over the clothes.

All the items she was handed hardly fit Adrianna at all. She felt as though Weylin would disapprove of what she chose to wear, from what little there was to choose from, since they were mostly dresses. She threw on a red one so the woman standing near her would stop staring at her. By the time she turned around, Sigrid was gone and Adrianna was standing alone again. Adjusting the dress she put on, she went up the stairs and caught the last bit of the conversation.

"…should go and inform the Jarl of Whiterun," Alvor was suggesting.

"I would gladly go and see the Jarl for you. You have shown me and my companions great hospitality," Weylin spoke sincerely.

"I would go with, but I need to inform general Tulius that I am still alive," Hadvar spoke up. "But I'll stay around for a few days and help you guys around the house."

"You've always been such a good boy Hadvar," Sigrid praised the soldier and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It'll be nice having you around for a few days."

"Here Weylin," Alvor dropped a bag of septims into the Imperials hands. "This should be enough for the four of you to get some food and rooms at the Inn."

"Thank you," Weylin replied sincerely. "As soon as Adrianna is ready we'll be out of the way."

"Nonsense, she can take all the time she needs," the blacksmith pushed the last statement aside. "Now I'm curious to hear some tales about your father."

Adrianna could see the discomfort on the Imperials face at the mention of his father. "I'm sure he'd love to tell you about his father," she interrupted, "but it has been a long traumatic day for us."

"All right Lady Whitefeather, you're right," Alvor sighed. "But promise me Weylin that you'll stop by some time."

"Of course," the mercenary agreed half-heartedly, "When time isn't much of a concern." With a slight bow he walked out the door.

Adrianna gave thanks and curtsied before following after Weylin. The sun had set since they had entered the blacksmith's house. "I hope you aren't upset with the dress," she brought as she came even with him on the path.

He gave a quick glance, "Its fine. Better that you have clothes that aren't filled with holes."

"So we're going to see the Jarl of Whiterun?"

"Inform him of the dragon in exchange for the things he gave us."

"What about taking me to Falkreath?" she questioned though thought she knew the answer already.

"After we speak with the Jarl, we'll hang around the town for a while until we can make some gold." He stopped in front of the door to the Inn, he turned to face her, "Why Falkreath if you don't mind me asking."

"Why don't you like talking about your father?" she countered though she was truly curious. If his father was a hero from the Great War then he should be proud of the man.

Weylin was about to say something as a voice from within the building caught their attention, "Orgnar! Fill me and Adalric back up!" The Imperial pushed open the door to be greeted loudly by Gavril, "Weylin! You've finally got here."

"How much have you had to drink?"

Adrianna could have sworn that the blonde headed Nord's eyes crossed as he attempted to recall the number while he sat at the bar. Adalric had his head in his hand and was drooling from the mouth. Gavril clearly caught her gaze and promptly replied while slapping the poor man on the back, "The lad can't handle his mead!"

"They both had seven mead, that's eighty septims," the barkeeper, mostly likely Orgnar, demanded.

"Weylin will pick up the tab," Gavril pointed to the mercenary who was counting the coins while his expression was becoming distressed.

"I only have sixty seven coins…" was all the man could say. Adrianna watched the man's shoulders sag with what could only be exhaustion. "What can I do to pay for the rest and at the very least two rooms?"

"You can clean," the man said barkeep gruffly ordered.

"Which one my room?" Gavril asked as he stood up, almost passing out to the ground.

Orgnar pointed to one of the side rooms, "That's your and your friend's room right there. If either of you puke, your Imperial friend here will have to clean it up in the morning as part of payment."

"What can I do?" Adrianna asked finally after Gavril and Adalric shuffled away. Orgnar had already put Weylin to work on cleaning the dirty dishes.

The barkeep eyed her up and down a few times before he turned around and opened a trunk behind the bar. Tossing a garment to her and said, "Put that on and start serving the customers. Your room will be the one next to your drunken friends so you can go change in there."

Adrianna went into the room and unfolded the garment. She didn't even have to put it on to know how revealing the piece of clothing would be and could only guess that he gave her it so she could get tips easier. It would be like the dress the woman was wearing back in Bruma. "_Can I really just let Weylin do all the work?_" she thought to herself."_It hardly seems fair to make him. Of course I can't let him do it alone. We both lost all of our gold._" Taking a deep breath she changed into the revealing outfit and left the room.


End file.
